


Cinderella's best friend

by Kotihiiri



Category: Cinderella (Fairy Tale), Cinderella - All Media Types
Genre: Brothers Grimm, Disney, Fairy Tale Elements, Ficlet, Gen, Stepsisters are mentioned only, The story of Cinderella through someone else's eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kotihiiri/pseuds/Kotihiiri
Summary: Everyone knows the story of the little cinder girl and her glass slippers. We, however, know very little about the people surrounding her. With the exception of her evil stepmother and stepsisters, of course.This little story brings one of these people into the spotlight, whilst seeing the story of Cinderella through someone else’s eyes.
Relationships: Cinderella/Prince (Cinderella - Fairy Tale)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Cinderella's best friend

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is appreciated. Not beta-read, so all mistakes are mine. English is not my first language, so apologies for any mistakes you may find. 
> 
> I wrote a draft of this years ago, but only revisited and rewrote most of it this week.
> 
> I hope this brings some enjoyment to you in these odd times :)

Once upon a time there was a little girl who grew up to be one of the kindest people in the world despite the acts of malicious people in her life. The girl grew into a beautiful, kind and loving young woman. A young woman who, with the help of a fairy godmother and a ball, met her prince. This is a girl whose story has touched and inspired many. This is a girl known by the quite cruel byname Cinderella.

This story, however, is not about this little girl. This is a story about another little girl who grew up in a loving but busy household. She grew up with warm but busy parents and plenty of siblings. As the eldest, she followed her mother into service in a lord’s house at just twelve summers old and helped her parents raise her six younger siblings. Like the future queen, she grew up knowing hard work, aching muscles and even hateful words.

Despite being no stranger to hardship and the cold side of the world, she grew up with the same sort of goodness that Cinderella, or simply Ella, possesses, though she has wildness and assertiveness of a sort to her manner that Ella does not. One could say that where Ella is sunlight, she is fire.

This story gives a glimpse into Cinderella’s best friend, a glimpse into a young woman called Enya.

As a best friend to a future queen with a story known by all, there may be many assumptions placed upon the stories of the people around her. But as is widely known, most stories carry little importance to other people. Such is also the story of the life of Enya, though she cares not, neither for the assumptions nor the importance, or indeed the insignificance, people place upon her life’s story. 

Now it is important to note that while practicality and independence have always triumphed over love and happy-ever-afters in Enya’s life and mind, she believes in both. Especially when it comes to her best friend. As she watched her friend recite the vows of matrimony to her very own prince, she could not help a gentle, happy smile from overtaking her face. As the crowd grew loud, whilst the new couple shared their kiss and turned to wave at them, Enya has shaken her head gently, with a small wistful sort of smile on her face.

She was thrilled for her best friend’s fortune, and yet could not help but feel a pinch of sadness. Her friend was a princess now, a future queen of the kingdom. She would now have to share her with countless others and Enya was slightly worried about losing her completely to her new royal duties. For how could a princess find time to meet and talk endlessly with a mere servant girl. Though, thought Enya with a quiet and somewhat inelegant snort, if anyone would defy their duties in the name of friendship, it would be Ella.

And she was right, in a way. While Ella truly did not have much of a chance of leaving the castle, she wrote twice as much to make up for it. Her letters were both a joy and a reminder for Enya. A joy to hear from her long-time friend and her happiness at achieving her dreams and a reminder, that Enya herself had yet to achieve the same.

”Enya! What do you think you are doing!? Staring at nothing while you should be working!” Macha screeched from the bottom of the stairs. Enya startled slightly, straightened her back and took a firmer grip of the mop.

”Yes, mother. I’m sorry. I.. I was just..” Enya searched for any answer that did not reveal to her mother that she was lost in her ”dreamy wish wash” thoughts as her mother had taken to calling them. As always though, her mother knew her too well for concealment to be possible.

”Yes, yes you were too busy thinking of those wish wash dreams of yours, no doubt.” Her mother tutted before sighing. ”I know child, that Ella’s new life has you wishing for better days for the rest of us but as it is, we are not all lucky. Now get back to work before the Mistress sees you slacking.” Leaving her with one last stern look, her mother went back to directing the rest of the maids. Enya sighed and went back to cleaning the stairs, although she could hardly turn off her thoughts.

And indeed, she could not. For her thoughts soon returned to her best friend, more specifically to her wedding day. It had been a beautiful day, sunny and bright, the very reflection of the bride and groom. Although, not everything about the day had been happy and good, she thought and frowned. There had been the incident with Ella’s step-sisters, though as far as Enya was concerned they got what they deserved. There had also been a young man there, who had not failed to remind her of the darker times to come.

He had asked her if she was a friend of the young princess. Enya had replied that indeed she was, that they had been friends since they were mere children. He had then gotten this gleaming, greedy sort of look in his eyes. Enya could not help but pity the man for his oversight of the statement enough to agree to a dance but nothing more than that. It had not been the first misunderstanding of her status that had happened during the day and in all likelihood it was not going to be the last.

She really ought to be angry at the presumptions and the rather forced ease with which the nobles of the court forgot Ella’s more humble background, but she could not find it in herself to be angry in a day such as that one and so she settled on pity with sparks of bemusement. For she knew the real question he had asked, was the same one she could read in the gaze of every seemingly interested person's there: ‘How high a status and wealth does a friend of the princess have? And how can I ensure to benefit from it?’

Despite her choice to go with pity and bemusement, Enya could not stop the concern and worry she felt for her dear friend. Ella may be the kindest person there is but would these people recognize that or would they simply see a poor cinder girl the way others had before them? Well, the future king would see her as she is, Enya thought with a crooked smile. Even though she will always find his way of finding a bride ridiculous and naive. However, it did seem to work the way it was supposed to, in the end. Ella was happy after all.

Enya had spent much of the reception watching Ella and her new husband. Ella had been smiling happily, watching her new subjects dance and chat, content to sit there, holding the prince's hand. Enya could not stop herself from wondering how long it would last. The love would, no doubt about that. Ella always loved fully and unconditionally and her husband would too, she hoped. No, love would last but would happiness?

Could Ella, a girl who once dreamed of freedom, of life without orders and somebody else's rules, truly be happy as a royal? As a queen whose life may be rich and luxurious but was completely tied down by rules, restrictions and proper conduct. Enya had stood against the wall of the ballroom, gazing at her friend with concern before smiling when Ella threw a brilliant smile her way, waving her over. ‘If anyone can do it, then Ella can. She has enough grace and poise to pull it off.’ She thought, making her way through the crowd to her friend’s side.

Enya herself on the other hand, would not be able to do it. The friends had a lot in common but Enya had fire in her soul. She knew herself well and would allow no lies about it, even to herself. She knew that she would never allow that kind of censure to her person. The rules and expectations of proper conduct that her station forced her to follow were already grating on her free-spirited, fire-filled soul as it is. The etiquette and rules of the court would most likely cause her to wage war than crush her spirit into obedience. 

She has, after all, always been fire where Ella is sunlight. It gets her in trouble all the time but one should never underestimate the determination of a passionate woman. She will without a doubt have her freedom, achieved by her own two hands. As her best friend’s did, so would her dreams come true. She was going to get herself that cottage in the bright green woods, plant a vast garden and live her days happily alongside nature and all of its beautiful creatures. And knowing her, it is only a matter of time before she does.


End file.
